Quote:QUESTION: Do you think I should add another exercise to this day?

Seeing as how you are lifting for enjoyment and also with an eye on mass as well as performance, i think you could get away with adding something for one of each workout per week. so each week you are aiming to do push,pull,legs,push,pull,legs,rest. on the first of each of the workouts in the week, add an extra exercise purely based on hypertrophy. eg. push: incline flyes or dips, pull: rear dumbell laterals or dumbell rows, legs: leg curl or lunges (knee permitting)

Quote:QUESTION: Do you think I made the right decision or should I have pushed on?

You know in yourself if you genuinely felt you were running on empty, or if you were being lazy. If you were being lazy you wouldnt feel so bad about this, the fact that you are beating yourself up over it would indicate that your motivation was high, but your ability was not able to match it. coming off a layoff of several months straight into a 6 day straight lifting pattern is a lot to ask of anyone, I personaly think a 3 on 1 off pattern may be better and more sustainable long term anyway, but see how you go

Hey thanks for the comments. I do think I was probably pushing things a little too much especially coming off a lay off. Today I feel great and no aches or pains; good or bad, even the knee feels good. I know I wasn't being lazy not workout yesterday and I should know as good as anybody to listen to the body. I was all ready to go yesterday but I knew as soon as I did my first rep of Bench Press that my chest would only get one set done and then all of rest I would not have been able to do. I could have put on less weight but it seemed like I was defeating the point of getting stronger and that with rest I'd be doing the correct weight and soon more.

My fear with working out is if you do too much exercises in a workout that you will be limiting your growth and you will have to take off more time just to recover. I will decide each day how I feel as to what to add. The leg day I think I need more which will add in stuff like you suggested. My legs don't hurt at all today nor yesterday so they need more work, granted this knee works. And I think I will add a bit more for the back. This is a big muscle and it could use a little more working out. The bicep already gets a lot so will stick with just the concentration curls for now.

Thanks for your input as always as it certainly helps.

EDIT: Actually going through some light movements at lunch I can still feel it a bit in my chest, neck, traps, lats, lower back and arms. This is how I like feeling, like I did something.

Edited by Dereck (07/21/0602:40 PM)

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"

My garage is on block and seperate from our house. The area containing the garages is a shade over 25m in length, so a two length 'shuttle run' burst gives you 50m.All my training kit is in my garage (heavy bag, parallel bars, chin bar, barbell, kettlebells and functional objects) so i can combine all aspects of training in a compact space.I also have free access to a proper 400m running track through my work which i use for pure 100m sprint work and fartlek interval training as you will see later in this journal.

the sig had to be done- I am too excited not to reference it every day

The running was much harder on my knee when I was heavier, it does still sometimes make my patella tendon flare up, but On the whole, I have slightly higher volume of low impact work (swimming and cycling) than i do running during the week, so I get away with it fairly well on the whole. I do warm up and stretch well before hitting my stride- I start with what I call 'the Eastood shuffle': Watch the 'Any which way' movies and 'Heartbreak Ridge', you will see Clint has a very relaxed steady state jogging style that minimises impact. I emulate this at the start of the run, then build into my proper stride as my body warms up. If i am unsure as to the state of my knee, I have been known to stick with the 'shuffle' and grind out 5-7 miles at the lower intensity.Adapt and overcome.

Short and sweet. I do not train in a gym, nor own a weights bench/power rack. Later this year (nov/dec) my two best friends will hopefully be the proud owners of an awesome gym facility, and when i have a chance i will probably incorporate some bench press into my routine. I have become less concerned with bench press however, on the grounds that it is not a particularly functional movement- it is unlikely in day to day life that you will do any movements that engage the pecs more than the delts and legs, and certainly not with a level of back support equivalent to a bench. Free standing lifts are both my only, but also my prefered choice at present.

Hey Cord, keep on posting bro as this is a motivation for me as well as others. I will be working again tonight on the PRESS portion of my workout and will report back.

The bench I love and incorporate but for myself and grappling, I find this very functional especially when I have an opponent on top of me. A heavier opponent I can lift slightly to get some air if he is cooking, plus when I bridge or buck I find having good strength very practical, not to mention I have been known to explode and toss the person off me. In everyday life, not really as you noted.

Friday I felt great. Saturday morning golfed for 4+ hours and then tore apart my deck in the afternoon which took a little less then 5 hours. It was hard labour for so that was a workout in itself. The worst part was that the temperature was 36 degrees Celcius (97 F) and I had to keep hydrated and take periodic breaks as my heart started racing and I was exhausted.

All and all I look foward to working out tonight and look forward to the rest of the week with martial arts training and further workouts. Also look forward to reading more of your posts and comments from others.

_________________________"IF I COME ... I'M BRINGING THE PAIN WITH ME"